Re: Release of DMS Drummer: A Percussion Sequencer for the Apple II

[Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com>]

David Schmenk <dschmenk@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jan 4, 5:27 pm, "Michael J. Mahon" <mjma...@aol.com> wrote:
>> Michael J. Mahon wrote:
>>> With inspiration and musical mentoring provided by Seth Sternberger
>>> of _8-Bit Weapon_, I've impemented a percussion sequencer/synthesizer
>>> for the Apple II.
>> 
>>> It allows a user to create sequences as long as 255 patterns, where
>>> each pattern is one of a set of 16 musical measures. Within each of
>>> these patterns, any one of 8 percussive voices can be played at any
>>> 1/16th note boundary.  In addition, the "pitch" for playing back the
>>> percussion sample can be specified, which is useful for pitched drums,
>>> like tom-toms.
>> 
>>> Like RT.SYNTH (which Seth also offers as DMS Synthesizer) DMS Drummer
>>> uses the DAC522 5-bit 22kHz pulse-width-modulation wavetable synthesizer
>>> engine, driven by a sequencer that runs in real time.  DAC522 represents
>>> "silence" as pairs of 6 cycle pulses spaced 46 cycles apart, regardless
>>> of whatever the code is doing--which subroutine it's calling or which
>>> branch path it's taking.  Executing "branchy" code while maintaining
>>> a constant stream of evenly spaced pulses is pretty tricky, but it must
>>> be done if the sequencer is to keep silent except for the desired
>>> sounds.
>> 
>>> Seth is offering the full version on his website:
>>>    http://www.8bitweapon.com/store.htm
>>> for $15, but the demo version (downloadable both from my website
>>> and his) is free for you to play with!  It is limited to 8 distinct
>>> programmable patterns and the Save function is disabled.
>> 
>>> Listen to the sample song, created by Seth, on either of our websites
>>> to hear the realistic rhythm line that an 8-bit Apple II can produce!
>>> The melody and bass lines are being played on RT.SYNTH, so the only
>>> non-Apple II-produced sounds are the "explosions" (which could also
>>> have been played by SOUND.EDITOR on an Apple II!).
>> 
>> A rocking new video has been released on YouTube in which my
>> DMS Synthesizer (nee RT.SYNTH) is used to great effect!
>> 
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?vÛBCJOxSmvo
>> 
>> -michael
>> 
>> NadaNet 3.1 for Apple II music software!
>> Home page:  http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon/
>> 
>> "The wastebasket is our most important design
>> tool--and it's seriously underused."
> 
> How fun to enable someone with that much musical talent to incorporate
> 35 year old computer hardware with the latest tools.  Congratulations,
> Michael.
> 
> Dave...

Thank you!  I'm really delighted to see it used so creatively. 

-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon